Das druckgraphische Werk der Maria Catharina Prestel (1747–1794)

Abstract

The artist Maria Catharina Prestel (also Mary Cathrine Prestel), who worked in collaboration with her husband Johann Gottlieb Prestel, had a remarkable success in Germany with the so-called „Prestel prints“. Both artists have devoted their work to the reproductive print after drawings by other artists of miscellaneous times, for example drawings of Durer, Raffael or Parmigianino, which they were able to „imitate in drawing manner pretty much as drawings themselfs“. The aim of this work was the reconstruction and analysis of the whole works of Maria Catharina Prestel. On the base of a complete catalogue of her prints, which was produced for the very first time, it was possible to prove that the artist has executed more than half of all facsimile-prints of the „illustrated books“ produced by her and her husband. It can be stated without any doubt that the Prestel had equal rights within the studio production. This fact was not to be taken for granted for female artists within the 18th century. The systematic analysis of single sheets allows to not only assess her technical abilities but also to give a representative overview of her reproductive prints both after drawings and after paintings, which she began to create after the separation from her husband and her move to London. The analysis of Prestel’s complete engraving work provides a valuable contribution to the research of female artists in Germany as well as to the research of reproductive prints in the 18th century.